Helpful Job Resource Blog

Ways to Identify a Toxic Candidate in an Interview

Not all interviewers have the experience to identify toxic candidates during the recruitment process.

Interviews may only last a short while, but there are certain questions you can ask that will reveal negative aspects of a candidate’s personality.

Here are some ways you can identify a toxic candidate in an interview:

1. Ask Toxic Questions

Highly professional individuals will refrain from talking negatively about a current employer despite being pushed to do it.

Ask the candidate about 5 things they dislike about their current employer. Everyone should be able to discuss one or two things politely but when you ask for 5, you’re really pushing them.

Candidates that answer the question professionally without resorting to badmouthing their employer are the ones you’d want to shortlist.

2. Ask About How They Handled A Difficult Situation

Toxicity doesn’t just refer to difficult employees, it’s also about those who blame others for all their problems; you don’t want a perceptual victim in the company that doesn’t ever want to accept responsibility.

By asking them to discuss a difficult situation they experienced, you’ll learn how they behave when things don’t go their way. If you notice them put the blame on others or make themselves a victim, they shouldn’t make the cut.

3. Ask About The Future

When you ask a candidate about the future, you’ll learn about their goals and see whether they align with the company’s.

Interviewees have a tendency to give rehearsed answers. They usually say what they think you want to hear instead of answering with sincerity.

When candidates fumble when discussing their future plans, they probably don’t know where they’re headed professionally; they may not have career goals to work toward.

4. Ask About The Best Times With Their Current Employer

If the office Christmas party is all they can think of when you ask about good times with their current employer, take it as a red flag. Employees should discuss their accomplishments and milestones with the company; mentioning only superficial aspects of the job means that they’re not serious about the job.

Hiring the right candidate the first time around is imperative for the company. Hiring a toxic employee will not only impact it’s bottom-line but also lower employee morale.

OPS Staffing is a talent acquisition firm that specializes in recruitment services for disaster restoration companies. With our help you can hire the best Project Managers, Estimators, Business Development Executives, Office Managers and other Upper Management professionals in the market!